Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Specifically in regard to FLAC, I echo the points made on civil legal aid, which has not got much ventilation in some of the previous hearings. While it is self-evident, there is not enough money available and that is creating a huge barrier not only in this area but generally in many areas of civil law. I wholeheartedly agree with that and I suggest that one of our recommendations should be that civil legal aid, particularly as it pertains to this area, be much better funded.

I am not very familiar with the point about the unbundling of legal services. If I understand it correctly, and I may not, it means that an applicant can do what might be regarded as the more simple administrative work and where a complex argument has been made in the proceedings, a lawyer might make that case. It is something like that. Perhaps that point might be elaborated upon.

There is a good deal of information in the proposals, some of which is very straightforward and sensible and well worth taking on board. I want to get FLAC's perspective on that. Is this a case of FLAC being pragmatic in saying that in advance of a much-improved civil legal aid budget, we could do these quick fixes as well or are they complementary? Is this an interim measure that is absolutely needed or would FLAC rather see proper legal representation that is well funded to ensure that some of this might not be necessary?